A rustic fantasy tabletop RPG based on the acclaimed City of Mist. Spin a tale of journey and peril where choices transform gameplay.
Latest Updates from Our Project:
Start playing Legend In The Mist with the Hero's Rules!
over 1 year ago
– Mon, Feb 17, 2025 at 02:34:52 PM
Hello there companions,
Are you ready to embark on your journey?
As promised, today we are sending out the next big chunk of the Legend In The Mist core book - the game rules for players. With this, you can start playing the official game!
We currently re-sending and updating the Core Book Playtesting PDF for all backers and late pledges via DriveThruRPG. Within the next few hours, you should receive an email invite to download this file from DriveThruRPG. If you encountered any issues, please reach out to [email protected].
(Only backers and late pledgers received this playtesting file. Pre-orderers will receive the file upon its official release.)
The action resolution rules for players, including the game loop, taking actions, Consequences, reactions, story tags, statuses, and limits.
Examples of actions and how to resolve them throughout the PDF, and a guide for typical rustic fantasy actions, and their related statuses and tags, called A Traveler's Concerns
Camping and sojourn rules
* We are still working on the right presentation of Might rules as well as the character development section, which will be released with the next PDF drop.
What To Expect (Reminder)
It's a playtesting copy, which means it's a **partial preview** of the core book meant to allow you to start playing the game and experiencing it.
Content-wise, it's a final draft. While not the absolute final version, what you find in the file represents the finished and complete product. We may yet make some changes, but we don't plan to make many. The text is not yet proofread.
Art- and design-wise, it's a Work In Progress (WIP). Most of the art is missing or not yet colored and the graphic design is in its final draft, but still being tweaked. Lead Artist Daniel Pinal, together with additional artists we have brought on, is diligently and skillfully working on beautiful art, so we appreciate your patience 🙏
This Core Book combines rustic with other genres to support any fantasy game, so it might feel a little broad in scope in some parts (although we still focus mainly on rustic fantasy). The setting book will lean into rustic fantasy will full force.
What's Next?
Please dive in and tell us what you think! We will be taking feedback through the Discord server (invite here) where there is already a thread in the #feedback channel for Hero Rules feedback.
Our next drop will be on February 28th with two big chunks of content:
The Magic Systems chapter (discussed in the Devlog below) which will complete the Hero side of the book with advanced magic mechanics, leaving only the Narrator chapters.
The Action Grimoire, the reference guide which contains dozens of rustic fantasy actions you could take with the Legend In The Mist open engine, and breaks it down for you -- especially if you come from more traditional RPGs and would appreciate the structure.
How Does This Affect The Estimated Schedule?
The official estimated digital release was for March 2025 but it's clear we will need some more time to fully complete the project as we envisioned it -- but not a lot of time.
Right now, we expect to have the complete core book out digitally by the end of March 2025, together with the Action Grimoire, Narrator Screen, Pregens, and other accessories, but excluding the Hearts of Ravensdale setting book and Twilight Deck. Then we'll turn to these, and we should be able to complete them within three months - or less.
At this point, however, these are only estimates. All of us at Son of Oak Game Studio are working rigorously to deliver this as soon as possible, while balancing product quality and team well-being. To mitigate delays, we also hired additional artists and colorists, some of whose work you can already see in the added beautiful color pages in the tutorial comics (see below), so with every day we are making big strides towards the finish line.
We will continue to deliver regular updates with new content drops until the project is completed.
Stay tuned for the next reveal and watch this beautiful game unfold - which we are so excited to share with you! Thank you again, backers for being a part of this 🙏
Until next time,
- Amit and the Son of Oak team
And So It Begins: A First Look At The Core Book!
over 1 year ago
– Fri, Jan 31, 2025 at 06:51:34 PM
Hello there companions,
The time has come - the first 140 pages of Legend In The Mist are now in your hands!
What? We've released the Legend In The Mist Core Book Playtesting Copy Version 0.1 in PDF form. Read below what it contains.
When? We just completed sending this PDF to all backers and late pledges via DriveThruRPG. You should have receive an email invite to download this file from DriveThruRPG. If you encountered any issues, please reach out to [email protected].
Who? Only backers and late pledgers received this playtesting file. Pre-orderers will receive the file when upon its official release.
What Just Dropped? What To Expect?
It's a playtesting copy, which means it's a **partial preview** of the core book meant to allow you to start playing the game and experiencing it.
Content-wise, it's a final draft. While not the absolute final version, what you find in the file represents the finished and complete product. We may yet make some changes, but we don't plan to make many. The text is not yet proofread.
Art- and design-wise, it's a Work In Progress (WIP). Most of the art is missing or not yet colored and the graphic design is in its final draft, but still being tweaked. Lead Artist Daniel Pinal is diligently and skillfully working on copious amounts of beautiful art, so we appreciate your patience 🙏
This Core Book combines rustic with other genres to support any fantasy game, so it might feel a little broad in scope in some parts (although we still focus mainly on rustic fantasy). The setting book will lean into rustic fantasy will full force.
What's Inside?
The complete tutorial comics (with mostly uncolored art). This solo learn-as-you-play choose-your-own-adventure experience will make this book a game you play from page one, and allow new players to experience the simplicity of the system first hand through a welcoming and enjoyable game of Legend In The Mist. Try it!
The Introduction to the book, with some ideas for games you can play.
The complete character (Hero) creation system, offering three paths for creating your Hero:
Simple, just write the tags you want.
Quick, pick one of 30 different Tropes (character recipes) and then pick tags from 120 Theme Kits, premade lists of tags.
Detailed, answer four out of 20 Themebooks, guided questionnaires that help create your own custom character. Pick out a backpack tag from the General Store.
This chapter also includes Fellowship (party) and relationships creation, with the Fellowship Themebook and Theme Kits.
We were not able to publish the complete ruleset as planned-- so this part will come out in our next update, planned for February 17th (estimated).
We are still deliberating what to release after that, whether the Narrator chapter or the Magic Systems stretch goal chapter which completes the Hero side of the game with advanced options as seen on our previous devlog. Both will be in the final book, of course. Stay tuned.
Cairo:Otherscape announced!
In other news, we are lining up our next project for the second half of 2025 (post LitM release) - a new installment in the Mythic Cyberpunk world of :Otherscape, which uses the same system as Legend In The Mist. This time, we will be exploring the fictional Megacity of Cairo:OS and the cyberspace supplement of Neuro:OS!
If you like cyberpunk, follow the Kickstarter preview page to be notified on launch, pick up the first day reward, and stay tuned for updates. You can also read the recent article on Rascal where the Egyptian, real-world-Cairo-based game writers of Cairo:OS talked about the project.
That's it, we're eager to see what you think about this file drop - see you in the Discord!
-Amit and the Son of Oak team
Vote for Legend In the Mist RPG!
over 1 year ago
– Mon, Dec 23, 2024 at 11:26:22 AM
The opening shot of the book and the tutorial comics
Hello companions and Happy Yuletide!
We've got a few quick updates for you:
Legend In The Mist RPG Nominated Most Anticipated RPG for 2025
EN World are running their annual vote for Most Anticipated RPG of 2025 vote, and someone (maybe one of you?) nominated Legend In The Mist RPG! We definitely think it's the game we're most looking forward to in 2025, and if you share that sentiment, please vote for us here:
Voting takes just a moment (it does require signing in/up to EN World), but it's worth it: this could really help get Legend In The Mist on more tables next year, and to grow the community of players, which in turns means more people to play with! You can also choose up to three most anticipated games, so it's not too hard of a choice.
Thank you for your support!
And Come Next Year It Shall!
We're planning to digitally release the Core Book Chapters 1 and 2 on January 31st, 2025. This is still an estimated date and may change if we run into any delays, but it seems solid. If you recall, Chapter 1 is learn-as-you-play comics that teaches you the game (more on that below). Chapter 2 contains all the Hero/player rules and tools, including:
Full resolution and evolution rules
All theme books (with Specials)
All theme kits
All Tropes
Item & gear lists (AKA "The General Store")
Prologue (session zero) guide
A guide on how to use the rules for typical situations (AKA "Traveler's Concerns")
With this Chapter in your hands, you'll be able to play Legend In The Mist in any fantasy universe you desire. We've already developed most of the content for Chapters 3 (Narrator), 4 (Challenges), and 5 (Magic Systems). We'll be able to better estimate their release dates when we have Chapters 1 and 2 out. All this will be followed by the chapters of the Hearts of Ravensdale setting and campaign.
Parallel to this, we have begun planning and implementing the physical production of the game with dice, cards, maps, slipcases, and more. You're in for some exciting game loot in 2025!
Currently Being Crafted: The Comics
We're hoping that the comics chapter will become an invaluable tool in your hands to brining players to the table. While we will have good old-fashioned rule writeups in Chapter 2 and explainer videos on YouTube, there is something about experiencing the game on your own that could really win a player over (for those of use who remember the D&D Red Box).
In this introductory comics, you'll take the role of Gerrin, a dear stalker from the Dales. A crisis in the family sends Gerrin on a rushed journey up the mountain, where ruffians, a peddler, and a strange creature await amidst snow-tipped woods and cliffs. Will Gerrin be able to accomplish the quest on time? How will this legend end? That is up to you, your choices, the dice, and whoever else plays this interactive tutorial.
Here are a few Work-In-Progress shots from the making of the comics:
That's all for now. We will circle back as agreed in one month with some juicy PDFs!
Until then, enjoy the holidays and have a great 2025, the Year of the Legend!
-Amit and the Son of Oak team
Portrait It Is!
over 1 year ago
– Fri, Nov 29, 2024 at 02:05:08 PM
Hi there companions!
We have the results of the book orientation survey, and based on them we have decided to keep the portrait (vertical) orientation of the book. Here they are:
44% voted to have the team decide (thank you!) 32% voted for Portrait 24% voted for Landscape
(84% of backers replied)
Side Note: Black Friday Sale, Up to 60% Off City of Mist and :Otherscape, Ends Monday
If you still haven't explored City of Mist or :Otherscape, they're on sale until Monday, with a bunch of worthwhile bundles, most of which are 40%-60% off! These games are fully in stock in the US or restocking now (and then shipping to backers first) in the UK, EU, and Canada, so you can get them shipped to you right away!
Reason #1: As we promised, we didn't want to make this change unless it had overwhelming support, because we already showed the books as portrait during the Kickstarter. While we got significant support, a third of the backers didn't want this change (way more than those who explicitly did want it), so we are respectfully taking a step back from that path.
Reason #2: This wisdom of the backer community tells us about the greater roleplayer community. We don't want the book format to potentially deter a third of players from checking out Legend In The Mist. We feel that innovating with gameplay (check!) is more critical than innovating with presentation at this moment, and we want to create a game that will have a broad appeal (see Amit's recent interview with Rascal News), so that you will have tons of new and interested players to play with.
Not The End For Visual Innovation
While we definitely changed our opinions based on this survey regarding the popularity of a landscape book in the current TTRPG community, we still thinking of bringing back our plan in other products, where it is appropriate and presented in advance.
More importantly, we are still working to make our vision real in the way we lay out information inside of the portrait book, to break out of the dense, two-column format and achieve a similar effect to what we were hoping to get with landscape, while maintaining the portrait functionality. Here is one of our many drafts (i.e., not final) as we work on this:
We're experimenting with a witch's book style in portrait, where notes are on the margins and reading is not so dense.
Top Scores All Around On Community Engagement and Trust!
One thing we're super excited about it is how everyone dived into the discussion and gave their two cents. Sure, emotions ran high here and there, but overall the community really came together to make a huge decision and we're so thankful that you are here for it!
The other thing that put a feather in our cap is that most of you put your faith in our team. That's the most beautiful vote of confidence we could get, and we thank you for that! We plan to deliver the best game ever, so that you're thoroughly pleased and have many hours of fun with it, both reading and playing.
Time To Get Back To The Game Itself
And that brings us to the final point: the orientation topic has briefly stolen the limelight, and some of our attention, from the main focus -- the game itself. We're returning to dev table with full focus and clarity, with the goal of delivering the core book as soon as possible, hopefully in the next two months. As such, we may be less available in the coming weeks, until we share our next update.
Until then, stay close to the path!
With much appreciation,
-Amit and the Son of Oak team
Landscape or Portrait? Book Orientation Survey
over 1 year ago
– Wed, Nov 20, 2024 at 12:02:07 PM
Good morrow, companions,
Before the break of dawn, our journey brings us to an unnamed, forlorn crossroads. From here, a path winds up the foothills and sinks into the white flurry of the imposing Whitecloaks, a staggering mountainous landscape of snow and rock. Facing the other direction is the muddy road to Stormhelm, a city whose name you've heard but never visited, where secrets lie beneath noble, chivalrous facades. Where shall we turn?
If you haven't been following, our previous update included a proposal for a landscape book format that sent shockwaves through the Legend In The Mist backer community and elicited passionate (to say the least) responses from both camps: landscape (horizontal) and portrait (vertical).
We have listened to opinions and pros & cons from both sides and have already announced that, unless backers overwhelmingly favor the landscape format, we will deliver the book in the portrait format 'as advertised' during the campaign.
The Survey
Having received all this qualitative data (opinions) from you all, we now need quantitative data (numbers) to learn where backers stand. Therefore, we are sending you a survey with three options to indicate your preference:
Landscape (horizontal)
Portrait (vertical), or
I leave it in the team's hands (which includes I don't mind, I like both, I trust you, I'm not sure, etc.).
We will be using Kickstarter's survey system for this, so look for an email from Kickstrarter.
When?
To allow us to get back to bookcrafting ASAP, the survey will be open for just one week and will close on Nov 27th, 2024.
Who?
At present, only backers on Kickstarter can respond to the survey. Later, we may wish to collect responses from late pledges and from the community at large, for our own purposes, but these will not affect our core decision regarding the Kickstarter rewards, only regarding the LitM game line going forward.
Pros & Cons to Consider
Landscape (Horizontal)
Our proposal for the landscape format came from a wish to create an entirely new reading and gameplay experience. Instead of a book you study and refer to as a textbook/rulebook, we see a book you flick through, go on a journey with, and become immersed in, where the rules of the game are clearly and succinctly transmitted to the reader, together with a visual impression and 'feel' of the game.
In a world inundated with text yet with shortening attention spans, we think a book that is less daunting would help more people join the hobby. We do wonder how many among our players actually consume RPG books cover-to-cover or refer to them during the game, and if they don't, we think books can change to deliver RPGs in a better way.
That is not to say the book will contain less rules or less options or less content then a vertical book. There will be the same amount of content planned. But we will serve it, visually and textually, in a much more approachable, digestible and (in our minds) pleasant way.
Landscape Pros
Experiential book (as described above above)
Welcoming to new players
The look & feel of an apothecary or witch's recipe book / "herbal"
Lays flat on the table (see below)
Better PDF display
Landscape Cons
Here are some concerns raised by backers, and our proposed solutions, where available:
1 ) It will be inconvenient at the table. A wide book will be different to the RPG textbooks we're all used to. It will take up a wider space (but narrower) when laid down on the table and it won't be ideal for holding up and reading in your hands.
Solution: First of all, it's important to note that this is the main downside of a landscape book and there really isn't a way around it. Choosing landscape means to some extent form over function, or as we see it, experiential function over reference function. It will be more convenient to lay the book flat on the table than to hold it.
There are, however, some points to consider here:
Legend In The Mist doesn't require rules reference during play. It's a free-flowing game with little to no rules to be memorized. You're unlikely to need to refer to the book as players because there are no tables, no special bonuses and penalties, nor any lengthy spell descriptions to call up constantly. The MC is the main person to refer to the book during play, for Challenge profiles.
For those who need a lot more structure and guidance, Legend In The Mist has a separate reference book, the Action Grimoire, which will be printed in portrait and soft cover, for best handling at the table.
2 ) Laying the book flat on the table will damage its binding.
Solution: We will be adding special lay-flat binding designed for, well, laying the book flat, that should allow it to endure as well as any good RPG book and beyond.
3 ) Storing a horizontal book is awkward. AKA it won't fit on my shelf or it will annoy me seeing its irregular shape on there.
Solution: We will provide a top-loading slipcase with every book (see image below) that will allow you to store the book vertically with the same dimensions of a portrait book without damaging it, looking perfect on your shelf.
(4) It will be hard to read as a PDF (?). Some people said this but we really didn't get it. Here's why -
Solution: Landscape PDFs are much more suited for reading on desktops, laptops, and tablets than portrait PDFs (phone reading requires its own PDF format, anyway). Perhaps some backers are concerned they will have to view the width of two pages at once; that's not the case. We intend to publish a single-page (page by page) PDF to counter that. Take a look at this example and test it on your tablet, laptop, or desktop computer.
Portrait (Vertical)
At the end of the day, portrait RPG books are the default which we know best. All of our books thus far have been portrait, so we have nothing against this format! It's practical and straightforward.
Portrait Pros
Familiar and widely used
Easier to hold up for reference or reading
Standardized for storage
Portrait Cons
Feels more like a textbook or reference book
As such, can be daunting to new players
Designed more for reference, less for experience
Not designed for laying flat on the table
That's the short and long of it. Here a few final messages:
All the graphic designs and texts shared here, including book covers, are WORK IN PROGRESS and may still change at any point.
We're eager to see your replies to the survey. Please reply by November 27th! We'll share the results the following week.
Watch for the comments section of this update (not the main campaign comments section). Any corrections or additions will show up here.
If you comment, be respectful. We had some unpleasant exchanges last update and we would appreciate if you could take a deep breath before posting and remember to be kind to each other, despite the different views.
We are listening to what you have to say, and we will adjust (or not adjust) our course accordingly. Our ultimate goal is to give you the best RPG product we can and we will not take any one-sided steps that leave you out of the equation.
Thank you for being the most rustically fantastic community we could hope for and for taking part in our creative process. We look forward to your collective vote on this!
